The baby was due anytime and there was a major blizzard. The weather was in fact so bad, Freddie and Sam were stranded at the apartment and couldn't make it to work. That morning, Sam woke up with a very intense backache. She didn't think much about it at first, but by 11 am, she was in a lot of pain. "Uhhh Freddie," she said as she placed a hand on her bulging belly. "I think the baby wants to make his appearance today."
"Its okay ... I'll call for an ambulance," Freddie said hurriedly.
"We won't be able to get to get a taxi in this weather," he told her as he grabbed the phone and dialed. He called for an ambulance, giving his address and letting them know that his girlfriend was going into labor.
The hospital dispatch promised to send out an ambulance right away and also said that Dr. Benson would be notified that Sam would soon be arriving at the hospital. After Freddie had hung up the phone, Sam sunk down in a chair,
gasping. "Ohhh God... that hurts! I have been having this nagging pain in my back for hours..." she told Freddie. "I didn't know it was labor at first. Now the pain is getting really bad... and so... Sooooooooo close together." She winced as yet another pain shot through her lower abdomen. "What if we don't make it to the hospital in time?" she worried. She had heard of women not making it to the hospital and having to deliver in elevators, cars, and even snowstorms.
Freddie helped Sam to the couch to lay down. "Just lay down and breathe deeply for now," he told her.
"Hold on," he said. He grabbed the laptop to look up emergency birth incase he would have to deliver this baby. He hoped to god he wouldn't have to do that as he didn't know a thing about babies and what to do.
Sam lay down on the couch with Freddie's assistance. She tried to calm down and breathe, but it wasn't easy. She was trying to relax despite the pain, but when Freddie got up to grab his laptop, Sam freaked out. "Don't leave me!"
she cried out. She was so scared and didn't know how much longer she could take this.
"Somebody get me some freakin DRUGS!" Sam cried out.
Freddie went to Sam's side. "Baby, breathe, please. I don't have anything for the pain. I'm sorry," he said, terrified now. "Just ... the ambulance is coming they said so."
They were both startled when the phone rang. It was the hospital calling. Sam could see that from the caller ID. "Where is that ambulance?" she gasped as Freddie went to take the call.
Freddie scrambled for the phone, picking it up. "Hello?" he said hurriedly, hoping the hospital was calling to say that the ambulance was almost here, because he did not think he could deliver this baby.
"Hello, I'm a nurse calling from St. Andrew's hospital. There has been an accident. The ambulance lost control on the ice on the way to your residence.
We'll send another one out, but due to the storm, all our other emergency vehicles are in transit..." spoke the nurse.
From the couch, Sam cried out. The baby was anxious to make his or her appearance and the urge to push was becoming stronger. She had a bad feeling that they wouldn't be making it to the hospital.
"No, you don't understand," Freddie said as he was freaking. " My girlfriend is in labor! You hafta send something for us, like NOW! We can't wait...this baby is coming like right this second and she hasta get to a hospital!"
"I'm sorry, Sir. There's nothing we can do. We'll have an ambulance out to you as soon as we possibly can. Until then, just try to keep your girlfriend as comfortable as you can-," apologized the woman. Suddenly then, the line went dead. The ice on the lines had caused the phone services to go out.
"Freddie, are they coming?" Sam asked frantically. She knew if they weren't here soon, she was going to have the baby - right here, right now. This child just didn't want to wait.
"Hello? Hello?" Freddie said, but he knew the line was dead. He hung up, turning to Sam.
"The ambulance can't come," he said. "There was an accident, and they can't send anything right now. They said as soon as possible they'll send something."
He returned to Sam's side, gently stroking her soft blond hair. " Just ... relax,
we'll ... if we hafta do this at home, we'll do this," Freddie said. "You were feeling contractions earlier. How far apart are they?"
Sam's eyes got huge when Freddie said the ambulance wasn't coming. She said a few viscious cuss words, then proceeded to tell him that she thought her contractions were about one or two minutes a part. "The pain is so bad,
Freddie. I've changed my mind. I really don't wanna have a baby anymore,"
she said, clinging to him in fear. It was then that they both heard an urgent knocking at the door.
"Baby, you just can't not have it," Freddie said. "It can't stay inside of you forever. It hasta come out." He heard the knocking and went to the door, hurriedly pulling it open.
Doctor Jonathon Benson stood at the door, holding his black doctor's bag in his hand. "Freddie," he said quickly. "How's Sam?"
"I got a call from the hospital ... I was half-way there. They said the ambulance had crashed. I got here as quick as I could," said Dr. Benson. He sounded out of breath and very worried.
Freddie had never been so glad in all his life to see someone. Her contractions ... probably a minute to two minutes apart," he said, moving aside to let his dad into the apartment.
"She's not liking things right now."
Dr. Benson came into the apartment, finding Sam lying on the couch. "Hey,
Sam," he said to her in a soothing voice. "It's going to be okay."
He then turned to Freddie and said, "Get me all the clean towels you can find and some boiling water."
"Dr. Benson, this baby - is coming - now..." Sam moaned, her face red as she tried her best not to push.
"Okay, Sam ... let me check you." Dr. Benson examined Sam, finding the baby was almost ready to be born.
"You're right ... this baby is not gonna wait much longer," Dr. Benson said after he had done his examination. "Do you feel the urge to push?"
"YESSSSS!" Sam cried out, her body beginning to bear down at its own accord.
Freddie rushed to grab all the clean towels they had and fetched the boiling water.
He brought the items to his father, hoping that Sam was okay and the baby. They both just had to be.
When Freddie returned to the room carrying the towels and the boiled water,
Sam reached out to him frantically. "Freddie, don't leave me - !" she cried out. She was so scared. It felt as if her lower body was about to tear in two. There was so much pain. Thank God Dr. Benson had arrived. She knew he would see to it that the baby made it into the world safely.
"Listen to me, Sam, when the next contraction comes... I need you to push. Push as hard as you possibly can. The baby's head is right there..." Dr Benson told her.
"No ... I can't- can't do this ..." Sam breathed. But no sooner had the words left her mouth when a contraction came, full force. She used every bit of her strength to bear down, pushing with all her might.
"That's it, Sam," said Dr. Benson, as the head was delivered into his hands.
"One more push to deliver the baby's shoulders ... and you will have your baby..."
Sam squeezed Freddie's hand in hers so tight, pushing again as the baby was coming free. It was excruciating pain, but after the baby's small body had left hers, she collapsed against the couch in sudden relief.
There was no cry from the tiny baby Sam had just delivered. Sam didn't even notice at first, but after a couple of moments, she got worried. "The baby ...
is - is it alright?" she asked fearfully.